Driven: Mazda's new HiLux rival

Chris Harris

Mazda BT-50

Mazda BT-50

Mazda BT-50

Mazda BT-50

Mazda BT-50

Mazda BT-50

Mazda BT-50

of

They say style is subjective, but, when it comes to workhorse utes, history shows tradies are a conservative bunch.

Dominated by the likes of Toyota’s HiLux and Nissan’s Navara, the formula of Australia’s second-largest market segment (behind light cars) hasn’t strayed too far from the boxy, macho machines that draw inspiration from blokey items such as power tools to oversized watches.

Mazda intends to buck this trend with its latest entrant – the all-new BT-50 – which wears the brand’s familiar flowing lines of its passenger cars that make the ute instantly recognisable as a Mazda. This was the BT-50’s designers’ intention to which they have succeeded.

Whether buyers are willing to literally think outside the box remains to be seen. It’s quite a gamble given the Japanese maker predicts Australia will become the biggest market in the world for its all-new ute.

The BT-50 range will be available with the choice of two turbo-diesel engines, three model grades and three body styles in both two- and all-wheel-drive layouts. These comprise the entry-level XT, XTR and range-topping GT.

Body styles include a single-cab (available from early next year), freestyle-cab (with rear-hinged rear doors and short-distance rear seating, available from next month) and dual-cab, the expected volume seller that’s now on sale.

While Mazda has yet to announce pricing for its entry single-cab range, the Freestyle range is priced between $32,590 and $46,160 (plus on-road and dealer costs) while the dual cab range is priced between $36,090 and $52,710 for the automatic all-wheel-drive GT flagship (plus costs).

Built in Thailand and developed again alongside its mechanical twin, Ford’s just-launched Ranger, Mazda says its engineers have given the BT-50 a unique suspension tune to handle more like a car with less body roll than a traditional ute.

It follows a rapidly growing trend where buyers seek “dual-use” vehicles that blend work and play – that is a tough, utilitarian truck for tradies as well as a weekend family vehicle with refinement and high safety levels.

Advertisement

Mazda claims the latest model is twice as stiff as its predecessor, which improves ride quality and allows for a greater towing capacity that ranges between 2500kg and 3350kg for the 2.2- and 3.2-litre diesel-powered models respectively. The dual cab’s maximum payload ranges between 1088kg and 1271kg, depending on the model.

The BT-50 also offers an interior “as good as any other passenger car”, according to Mazda, with ample space for five adults, supportive seats and a logical, well-presented dash that closely resembles the Mazda6 mid-size range. Only hard plastics on the dash and doors and a lack of steering-wheel reach adjustment suggest otherwise.

Mazda shares both turbo-diesel engines with its Blue Oval stablemate including a 2.2-litre four-cylinder (available from next month and exclusively mated to a six-speed manual transmission) and a 3.2 inline five-cylinder flagship, which comes with the choice of a manual or automatic gearbox (both are six-speed units).

Intuitive and smooth shifting, the automatic’s gear lever looks remarkably similar to the Ford Falcon’s, while the manual offers a pleasant, short throw between cogs.

On the move, the bigger oil burner is an impressive example of flexibility and refinement that seemingly defy its on-paper figures. With 147kW of power at 3000rpm and 470Nm of torque between 1750 and 2500rpm, the big, dual-cab BT-50 hustles along a country road with reserves of torque for easy overtaking ability or towing a weekend play-thing.

Even at highway speed on rough roads, tyre and wind noise are well suppressed. The only engine noise entering the cabin is a pleasant five-cylinder burr under harder acceleration rather than the typical diesel clatter of many rivals.

We averaged 11.0 litres per 100 kilometres during our day behind the wheel of a 4x4 dual-cab equipped with an automatic transmission against an official average of 9.2L/100km.

To say that a heavy commercial vehicle with a utilitarian, ladder-frame chassis offers “passenger car-like” ride characteristics is a big statement, but the BT-50 does a reasonable job of minimising body roll over easy-winding tarmac.

Its steering feels connected to the front wheels – unlike some rivals – but its ride is fidgety over mid-corner bumps, which will inevitably be altered with the weight of carting tools and equipment.

Buyers hoping to go bush will be pleased that the BT-50 is still up to the job, with an off-road arsenal comprising low-range gearing, hill-descent control, all-terrain tyres for maximum traction and good forward vision aided by a height-adjustable driver’s seat on XTR and GT grades (except XT).

Standard safety includes stability control, four airbags for single-cab models and six (including front-side and curtain) airbags for dual- and freestyle cab models. By contrast, only the top four models of Toyota’s recently upgraded HiLux range are fitted with curtain airbags and stability control.

All BT-50s also comes with trailer sway control and load-adaptive control, which adjusts intervention parameters based on load over the rear axle.

Standard equipment highlights across the range comprise cruise control, Bluetooth with voice control, airconditioning, power windows, a USB input and a 3.5-inch monochrome centre screen for the entry-level model, while other variants gain an LCD display with satellite navigation seen in Ford’s passenger-car range.

Mazda Australia has teamed up with local suppliers to develop a range of accessories and combined kits that integrate with the vehicle electronic systems, such as the deployment of airbags, for example. These include bull bars, sports bars, side steps, tonneau covers, canopies, and driving lights.